TEHRAN, 13 July 2005 — Iran will take “new measures” in its nuclear and foreign policy, the Islamic republic’s hard-line President-elect Mahmood Ahmadinejad said yesterday. “There will be new measures concerning foreign policy. Today, the current government is in place and takes decisions and these decision are respectable,” he told reporters when asked about his view on nuclear policy and relations with the United States.
“Definitely the new government will take new measures which will be announced when the time comes,” he said after a meeting with deputies in the conservative-controlled Parliament. Ahmadinejad, who takes over from reformist President Mohammad Khatami on Aug. 3, did not elaborate on the “new measures”.
Iran is at a sensitive juncture in its negotiations with Britain, France and Germany, who are trying to convince Iran to abandon sensitive nuclear fuel cycle technology — which could be diverted to making a bomb — in exchange for a package of incentives.
In comments published by the Kayhan newspaper, several top Iranian negotiators said the country would soon resume enrichment and will reject any EU proposal that does not recognize the Islamic republic’s right to do so.
The three European powers have promised to come up with the outline of a long-term accord by the end of July, and their proposal could make or break the lengthy diplomatic process.
Iran claims it only wants to make atomic fuel for energy purposes and argues it has a right to do so as a signatory of the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, but it has a track record of covering up its activities.
Furthermore, European diplomats close to the talks say their forthcoming proposal will not satisfy Iranian demands that it be allowed to resume fuel cycle work — meaning a fresh crisis is on the horizon. “I think the end of the suspension is very close, and the Europeans should keep to their commitments,” Hossein Mousavian told Kayhan.
